


here

by soulofme



Series: sheith sentence prompts [16]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pre-Kerberos Mission, keith is the best guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 13:57:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15390240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofme/pseuds/soulofme
Summary: Keith feels sick to his stomach. His mind races with questions that he’s afraid to get the answer to. How can he help Shiro? Can he even help him? Keith doesn’t know how to help himself half of the time. Why would Shiro choose him?“I’m sorry,” Shiro says then, effectively cutting off Keith’s internal monologue. “I didn’t know where else to go.”





	here

**Author's Note:**

> sentence prompts 67 and 54: "i didn't know where else to go." and "i got you, it's okay. it's okay."

It’s pouring by the time Keith gets back to his dorm.

He’s soaked from running from the gym back to the resident halls. His clothes stick to him in about every place, and his hair’s soaked flat to his skull. He imagines he looks like a wet cat, and the metal picture has him snorting out a laugh.

Hiking his bag higher over his shoulder, he ruffles through the side pocket for his key card. Curling his hand around the edge of it, Keith raises his head and…stops.

“Shiro?”

Shiro jerks his head up at the sound of his name. He’s just as wet as Keith, hair dripping water down his face in rivulets. Keith's stomach clenches. How long had he been waiting?

He can instantly tell something is wrong. But Shiro smiles like he’s just dropping by for a friendly visit, never mind that it’s a quarter to twelve and that he hardly comes by Keith's dorm.

“I believe you have a room to be in,” Shiro says, all jest even though Keith can see the pain in his eyes.

“I lost track of time,” Keith mutters. He crosses his arms over his chest and swallows hard. “Shiro, what—”

“Maybe we should go inside.” It’s a friendly enough suggestion, but Keith finds the hidden meaning soon enough. Shiro wants—no, _needs_ privacy.

So Keith swipes them in and leads Shiro up to his room. His roommate is never there, always staying with this friend or that, so Keith doesn’t need to answer any unwanted questions. He roots around in his dresser for a towel and hands it to Shiro.

“You’re gonna get sick,” he whispers.

Shiro takes the towel but doesn’t respond. He just stands there in the middle of the room, dripping water and staring at the ground with a dejected expression.

Keith feels sick to his stomach. His mind races with questions that he’s afraid to get the answer to. How can he help Shiro? _Can_ he even help him? Keith doesn’t know how to help himself half of the time. Why would Shiro choose him?

“I’m sorry,” Shiro says then, effectively cutting off Keith’s internal monologue. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Keith says before he can think about it. The gentle smile Shiro gives him prevents any embarrassment from springing up. “Here, why don’t you take a seat?”

Shiro nods and sits at Keith’s desk. He rubs the towel roughly over his head, still not quite looking Keith in the eye.

Keith settles on his own bed, faintly aware of the water seeping into his sheets. Not that it matters. Not when Shiro’s in front of him looking like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Can I ask what happened?” Keith ventures to say after a few moments. Shiro goes completely still and Keith’s stomach rolls unpleasantly.

 “Adam’s not waiting for me, Keith.”

Keith’s heart drops to the floor. He feels his mouth opening but his words die in his throat. He doesn’t what to say.

He doesn’t know what to say, and the completely broken expression on Shiro’s expression makes him want to fucking _cry_.

“Shiro, I—” He stops, sucks in a heavy breath, “I’m so sorry.”

It’s not enough. He knows it’ll never be enough. Keith can’t imagine what Shiro’s thinking, or how he feels, but _god_ , he just wants to help. He’ll do whatever the hell he can to get that expression off his face, to weasel out a smile that isn’t there just for his benefit.

“It doesn’t matter,” Shiro says then, his voice wavering slightly. Keith’s heart positively _aches_. “I can’t expect him to. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Keith’s up on his feet without a second thought. Shiro looks up at him with an empty expression on his face. Keith rakes his fingers through his damp hair and begins to pace. His fingers twitch in irritation and he shoves them into the pocket of his sweats to hide it.

“Keith—”

“Don’t _Keith_ me,” he says, and nearly loses his nerve when Shiro flinches like he’s been hit. “You know that’s fucked up, Takashi. You _know_ it.”

Shiro’s jaw clenches. _Hard_.

“That’s not true.”

“It’s not?” Keith bites back, stopping in front of Shiro. “He’s supposed to be there, Shiro! No matter what! He doesn’t get to pick and choose!”

“Adam has been there!” Shiro’s standing now, and Keith falters. He’s seen Shiro irritated before, sure, usually because Matt had been needling him about one thing or another. But angry? No, _furious_?

That’s not Shiro. That’s not how Shiro talks to him.

“I’m sorry,” he says again, instantly and meaning it more than anything.

Shiro deflates like a popped balloon.

“No, I should apologize,” he whispers. “I didn’t mean to yell.”

He collapses into his seat and presses his hands to his face. Keith watches him silently, trying in vain to swallow past the lump in his throat.

“I love him,” Shiro starts softly. “But I…I need this mission, Keith.”

Keith can pinpoint the exact moment Shiro breaks. It starts with his shoulders shaking and evolves into muffled sobs. Keith rushes forward and throws his arms around Shiro, squeezing his eyes shut to stop his own tears from falling.

“I got you, it’s okay,” he whispers, pressing his face into the top of Shiro’s head. He feels how Shiro’s arms wrap tightly around his waist and forces himself to continue without choking on his words. “It’s okay.”

“I just want to prove myself,” Shiro says into his shoulder. “Kerberos is the only way I can.”

“Shiro, that's not true,” Keith pulls away and shakes his head. “You’ve done so much, not just as a pilot but…as my friend.”

Saying the words feels like ripping the band-aid off a wound, exposing it to the harsh air. He smiles to ease the sting of it, to stop the vulnerability from forcing him to run and hide.

“Keith,” Shiro murmurs. He wipes his face with his sleeve and clears his throat. “I should probably go.”

“Oh, yeah,” Keith steps back, letting his hands fall from Shiro’s shoulders.

He walks him to the door, his hands shaking terribly. Shiro squeezes his arm.

“I’ll see you later, Keith,” he says, stepping out into the hall.

Keith grips the doorframe hard.

“I’ll be here,” he says, his voice almost too soft to be heard, ears burning at how easily the words tumble out.

Shiro gives him a smile bright enough to rival the sun and presses a soft kiss to his forehead, so tender that every inch of Keith aches for _more_.

“Thank you,” Shiro whispers.

And then he's gone.

**Author's Note:**

> GUYS I'M SCREAMING SEASON 7 IS GOING TO DESTROY ME


End file.
